News

It’s Still Colonial To Me

Published

16 years ago

May 26, 2010

– The Crowne Plaza Invitational Is Upon Us –

No disrespect to the tournament sponsor but rarely will the words – Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial roll off my lips. For myself and millions of others this week’s tournament will always carry a single name – Colonial.

With it, that moniker brings visions of one man, so revered in golf circles that even neophytes of today are familiar with his name – Ben Hogan.

If you have ever been to Ft. Worth you will understand the significance of Ben Hogan, and golf in general, there. In a place where people are comfortable to talk about cattle, oil, and just about any other wide-ranging subject golf has a special place in their hearts. A lot of that has to do with the pride of knowing that two of the world’s greatest golf champions, Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan, got their starts in “Cowtown.”

Nelson, the quiet and humble man was always respected but it was “The Hawk,” Ben Hogan who was always larger than life.

Take the Colonial National Invitational, as it known when it was founded in 1946. Hogan went out and won the first two installments of the tournament, eventually becoming a record 5-time champion. Shady Oaks Golf Club, just a few miles down the road, might have been Hogan’s membership home but he just about “owned” Colonial Country Club . His name will forever be tied with the place and the statue of him by the clubhouse is testament to it.

Colonial Country Club was a perfect golf course for the talents of Mr. Hogan. Requiring thoughtful precision at all times it is a test that demands a lot of any professional who has hopes of winning on it.

Last year that honor went to Steve Stricker, who will be in the field this week but will carry six weeks of rust in his bag after a shoulder injury put him on the sidelines.

Being an invitational this week the field is slightly smaller but blessed with plenty of depth in the talent department,

Yes, Phil Mickelson is in the field this week and he did Houdini his way to a Colonial win in 2008 but it would be hard to say he is a great pick to grab another “Crowne”. The tight thoroughfares at Colonial that bend it places you least expect or desire, require winners to hit it straight when they need it and shape it by request as well.

You don’t have to look much further than one of last year’s playoff participants that lost out to Stricker, Tim Clark as a must watch for the week. The combination of last year’s finish and his recent The Players victory are certain signs that he could again be in contention.

Two others to keep an eye on will be Brian Gay, a native of Ft. Worth who has missed just 2 cuts in 11 starts here and has won on layouts like Harbour Town, a place that demands similar shots as Colonial.

You can also never discount Justin Leonard, who has yet to win in 16 starts but has five career top-tens and fired 61 in the final round in 2003 on his way to a runner-up finish.

It’s time for another week to hear all those great Ben Hogan stories again and one player will get the honor of being forever tied to the one of the game’s great artists.

For a true golf professional, that probably means a lot more than what any Fed Ex points or winner’s check can provide.

It is “Colonial” after all.

This report provided to GolfWRX.com by Flagstick Golf Magazine (www.flagstick.com)

News

GolfWRX’s Father’s Day Gift Guide (2026)

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

A reminder from your friends at GolfWRX: Father’s Day is June 21. And as we do every year, we’re rounding up the best gifts for dad.

As we say every year, there’s no better golf-related Father’s Day gift than a round of golf with pops. Be it a country club or your favorite muni, take the time to get together to play 18 if you can.

Let’s get to the gifts.

Ghost Golf Qualifier Diamond Polo

We like the new polos that Ghost is offering, as the fabric and fit are so good. These new Qualifier Collection polos breathe well, are lightweight, stretch with your swing, and of course look great. You can wear them on the course, in the office, or just out at a casual event and they will fit right in.

Buy here.

STR8-Strip Grip Tape Remover

If your dad is an equipment aficionado and tinkers with his clubs, this tool works wonders. Removing grip tape has never been easier, just put a little head on the tape and the STR8-Strip peals it right off the shaft without any damage.

Buy here.

Why Golf: Putting Thing

When it comes to practice, it is good to have a purpose. This “Putting Thing” sure does it. We know from personal experience how challenging it can be and how rewarding it is on the practice green. This also provides some competition for your kiddo to see who will unload the dishwasher or do the next chore around the house.

Buy here.

OluKai Lae‘ahi Men’s Breathable Slip-On Shoes

Riding to and from the course in style and comfort is always a good thing. If you’re in a hurry, it’s a nice feature to slide into your shoes and get to the tee time. For the post-game shoe, at your locker or while putting your clubs away in the car. Nice to slide into a shoe that looks good anywhere. Pair that with meeting the family for dinner, no need to change!

Buy here.

Therabody Theragun Relief

A little wellness goes a long way. Keeping loose is a good way to go when it comes to the weekend game or treatment during the week. If there is a little ache or pain, the Theragun is there to help out. Help loosen up the back for a pre-game warm-up or cool-down.

Buy here.

World Cup golf apparel

Something for the soccer dads. Embrace the World Cup fever this summer on the course with custom gear to support the nation of your choice.

Buy here.

FootJoy Pro SL spikeless golf shoes

Give the old man a break and save his feet with the Footjoy Pro SL Men’s Spikeless Golf Shoes for some added comfort on the course.

Buy here.

Bushnell Wingman 2 GPS speaker

Combine all the hits as well as some game improvement with the Wingman 2 Golf GPS Speaker by getting audible distance readings from 38,000+ courses worldwide through the Wingman 2 remote or speaker.

Buy here.

Personalized Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

The No. 1 ball in golf is a safe bet, and the Pro V1 fits the largest chunk of the bell curve if you don’t know what ball pops plays. Add personalization for a, well, personal touch!

Buy here.

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 OccuNet Classic

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

GolfWRX Staff

With the PGA Tour across the border in Canada this week, GolfWRX Tour Photographer Greg Moore stayed stateside and headed to the OccuNet Classic presented by Amarillo National Bank in Amarillo, Texas.

It’s always interesting to see what the guys are playing on the KFT, and this week certainly hasn’t disappointed so far, with some incredible wedge stamping on display.

Check out links to all our albums below.

General Albums

2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT) – Monday #1

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Luke Potter’s custom Cameron putter – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)

News

From the GolfWRX Classifieds: Scotty Cameron GOLO 6 with BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition

Published

2 days ago

Jun 9, 2026

Will Schube

At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @HuskerFlyer is sharing a Scotty Cameron GOLO with a BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition shaft. While the putter is certainly enviable, the Augusta-inspired shaft is equally noteworthy.

From the listing:

Scotty Cameron Golo 6 with BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition Scotty Headcover 34″ $375

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules.